A-Z benefits

We are here to help if you need it. If you're struggling to support yourself or your family, please contact us. We can often help. It is better to contact us before you apply for assistance. That way we can learn about your circumstances and talk to you about the types of assistance you might get.

A

If you are getting a benefit and have an immediate need for something essential you may be able to get an advance payment of your benefit. We generally pay the supplier for the goods or services you need (eg appliances, furniture, bedding, rent or school uniforms). You’ll need to pay us back but may be able to do this in instalments.

Away from Home Allowance is a weekly payment which helps carers with the living costs for 16 or 17 year olds who are living away from home while on a tertiary or training course. We pay the allowance to the carer of the young person.

B

Business Training and Advice Grant helps people getting government assistance who want to start up their own business. It helps towards the cost of training and advice you need to start a business. You could also use it if you need the services of a business adviser

C

Child Disability Allowance is a fortnightly payment made to the main carer of a child or young person with a serious disability. It is paid in recognition of the extra care and attention needed for that child.

If you are a parent or caregiver who provided full time care and attention at home for a high needs dependent child (who would have otherwise required hospital care) you may be eligible for retrospective (backdated) payments.

E

The Early Learning Payment helps pay the costs of Early Childhood Education for children aged 18 months to three years who are from families enrolled in selected Family Start or Early Start Programmes. If you are enrolled in Family Start or Early Start you will be assigned a family/whänau worker who will contact Work and Income for you.

G

If you are under 19 and have a child under five, and are in full-time education, training or work-based learning, you may be able to get the Guaranteed Childcare Assistance Payment (GCAP) to assist with the cost of childcare

J

L

Live Organ Donor Assistance is a payment which helps people who are donating a kidney or liver tissue for transplant within New Zealand with loss of income and/or childcare costs. It does not provide full compensation for loss of income.

O

Orphan’s Benefit is a weekly payment which helps carers supporting a child or young person whose parents have died or can't be found, or can’t look after them because they have a long-term illness or incapacity.

Out of School Care and Recreation (OSCAR) Subsidy is a payment which helps families with the costs of before- and after-school programmes, and school holiday programmes.
It helps with the costs of before- and after-school programmes for up to 20 hours a week, and school holiday programmes of up to 50 hours a week.

Recoverable Assistance is a payment which helps people pay for something they need urgently when they have no other way of paying for it. This grant is generally paid for items such as appliances, school uniforms or rent arrears. Recoverable Assistance has to be paid back but may be paid back in instalments.

Many people going into residential care may want to keep their home for a while to allow them to adjust to their changed circumstances; however this often means that there are limited funds to pay for the cost of their care. Rather than selling your home, we may be able to help you with a Residential Care Loan. This is an interest-free loan paid directly to the hospital or rest home and is usually repaid when you die or your home is sold, whichever happens first.

If you need long-term residential care in a hospital or rest home, you may be able to get a Residential Care Subsidy from the Ministry of Health. This subsidy helps with the cost of this care. The subsidy is paid directly to the hospital or rest home by the Ministry of Health.

S

The School and Year Start-up Payment is available to people who are caring for someone else's child and helps with the costs that mostly happen at the beginning of the year, in particular pre-school and school-related costs such as clothing, school fees and stationery.

Social Rehabilitation Assistance is a payment which helps people who are in a residential social rehabilitation programme and their benefit isn't enough to meet the fees. Payments are made directly to the programme provider.

Special Disability Allowance is a weekly payment for people who have a spouse or partner who is in a hospital or rest home (for at least 13 weeks) or who is getting a Residential Care Subsidy. It is paid to the spouse or partner who is not in care to help with the extra costs of having their spouse or partner in care.

The Special Needs Grant International Custody Dispute Payment is a weekly payment for parents with limited financial support who are involved in an international custody or access dispute over the care of their children.

V

Veteran’s Pension is a fortnightly payment for veterans who have served in a war or other emergency, and have a disability. When you get Veteran’s Pension you will automatically be issued with a Veteran SuperGold card.

W

This benefit stopped on 14 July 2013 with people who were getting this benefit transferring to either Sole Parent Support or Jobseeker Support depending on whether they had children and the age of their youngest child.